Spray Drier Assembly For Automated Spray Drying

Abstract

A spray drier system is provided for spray drying a liquid sample such as blood plasma. The spray drier system may include a spray drier device adapted to couple with a spray drier assembly. The assembly may include an enclosure mounted to a frame. The assembly may receive a flow of drying gas which is directed by the enclosure shape towards a spray drying head mounted within the enclosure to the frame. Flows of a liquid sample may be further received by the head, which aerosolizes the liquid sample. Aerosolized liquid sample and drying air may be mixed within a drying chamber of the enclosure to produce dried sample and humid air. The dried sample and humid air may also be separated in a collection chamber of the enclosure, with the humid air exhausted from the enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spray drier collection chamber for use with a spray drier assembly for drying plasma wherein the spray drier assembly having a drying gas, an aerosolizing gas and a fluid liquid sample, wherein the spray drier assembly comprises a drying chamber adapted to receive aerosolized flow of the liquid sample and drying gas to separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried powder suspended in humid air, wherein the spray drier collection chamber comprises:
 a. an intake port;   b. an outer wall having an intake point at one end;   c. an exhaust port at another end of the outer wall; and   d. a filter, wherein the perimeter of the filter is positioned in a sealing arrangement with an interior surface of the collection chamber and is adapted to separate the dried powder from the humid air, and forms a pouch-shape and the exhaust port allowing the humid air to exit the second end of the enclosure, wherein the spray drying collection chamber can be sealed and detached from the drying chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port has a sealing region at which the collection chamber can be sealed and separated from the drying chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable, sealing mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 3 , further comprising a detachable sealing mechanism positioned to seal the collection chamber and separate it from the drying chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the intake port and exhaust port may be sealed by a thermal weld. 
     
     
         6 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more ports for accessing the collection chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising a rehydration fluid in communication with the dried powder with a reversible barrier therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 7 , wherein the revisable barrier comprises a valve. 
     
     
         9 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , further comprising a rehydration fluid in communication with the dried powder with a frangible closure therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The spray drier collection chamber of  claim 1 , wherein the drying gas travels of the spray drier assembly in a flow to direct the transfer of dried liquid sample or the humid air from the drying chamber to the collection chamber.